Getting wedged

I want to sit on the design for a day or so, as I’m still not sure about the proportions – the strike bulb at the top feels a bit large, but it helps make it easy to remove the wedge. And because the infills on these planes aew completely internal, the wedge is the only wood feature that extends beyond the lip of the plane; so a somewhat inflated bulb can be a nice design feature.

In the end, though, I’m leaning toward reducing the profile a bit. It just feels little top-heavy to me. I’ll see how I feel about it tomorrow.

I am really pleased with the repeat cupid’s bow treatment on the bridge and wedge, though. That’s staying as it is…

This is just an odd thought Raney, but I hear you on the size of the wedge bulb. Maybe I am thinking outside the box, but if you consider the miter plane in position on a shooting board, and push until the plane is up near or beyond the fence of the board, the arm angle lays down a little.

When it does, does the heel of the hand, near the wrist get in the way of the bulb with it being the size it is? If not the size may be ok,

I am not sure smaller might look a little more proportional as well, but if the user is feeling the wedge in the hand, it might cause attention to stray from the work a little…

I think a good plane almost becomes transparent in the hand; an extension of the hand. When you are there, You just do it, you don't give it much thought.

THanks for the comments – and I agree completely about distractions; but I don't think this is the case here. After using it a bit, I'm keeping it as is… The proportions look more right to me over time, not less – usually the best indicator for questions of design, I think.

With a plane this small, the most natural shooting grip is piching the sidewalls between thumb and first two fingers, and the wedge tucks nicely just behind the heel of the hand. the 'ramp' of blade and wedge is a nice resting area for the meat of the palm, and provides soem good lateral support to keep the plane at the work.

When used on its sole, the wedge tucks nicely into the palm for two-handed grip, or under the forearm if you grip it one-handed like a block plane. These traditional designs tend to be really well thought out – and I think this one is no exception.

I think it's going to work out well, but I'll have a little more feedback when the steel version makes it's way to its final home later this month.

I agree with your assessments. It was hard to guess (for me) the scale of the plane. I was trying to imagine what I can't see or tell, which was how it felt and fit in the hand. If nothing else, the bulb looked like it could have affected this, and I am happy to hear it doesn't.

I guess my evaluative process filters usability over beauty as a design parameter. I love beauty, don't get me wrong, but if beauty interferes with usability, it seems to muddy the definition of what a tool is. I dunno, maybe it can cause a tool to become sculpture or something!